spanakopita (well, the cheat's version!)

tonight's dinner was a pretend spanakopita (i'm too lazy to make it properly!) with a quick salad which i was also too lazy to put much effort into - hey, it's friday!

spanakopita, brazen style

2 sheets puff pastry (or do the filo thing if you're less lazy than me lol)
olive oil
1 red onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 pkt greek feta (or any nice firm yet crumbly one), crumbled
a large container of either cottage cheese (drained) or ricotta (low fat for us)
some parmesan if desired (maybe about 1/4-1/3 cup)
black pepper
nutmeg, a pinch
salt, to taste
3 eggs
as much fresh dill, finely chopped, as you like (i love lots but the family aren't as keen)
2-3 bunches spinach (i used a red stemmed chard) or 2 pkts frozen spinach, steamed and drained
hint: as a tupperware addict i have to recommend the salad spinner for draining the spinach, omg it's good! lol

turn oven on to approx 190-200' (i'm not really sure, mine was on 180' but mine cooks hot)
thaw the pastry
gently cook the onion and garlic with oil until soft (i actually did it in the microwave)
basically mix everything else together
grease a pie dish and line with 1 sheet pastry (if you're motivated you might like to blind bake it, far too much effort for me lol)
top with the cheese / spinach mix
top with the other sheet (cut a few slits in teh centre of the top to let the steam escape)
bake for around 30 minutes or so until it's golden brown all across the top.


quick salad
i had plans of making a green salad but was far too lazy to make it lol so i just tossed together a few things and put on a bought dressing. the kids all ate different bits but love salads like this :)

1 tin kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 tin corn kernels, drained
few small tomatoes, in large dice (i used some cute egg ones we grew in our vegie garden!)
baby beetroots, quartered
mix and toss with italian dressing

Spaghetti Pie

9' pie pan
6 ounces spaghetti
2 tbs. butter or margarine
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 well beaten eggs
1 cup cottage cheese (8 oz.)
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 8 oz can tomatoes, cut up
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic granules
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (2 oz.)

Cook and drain spaghetti. Stir butter or margarine, eggs and parmesan cheese into hot spaghetti. Spray a 10' pie plate with Pam. Form spaghetti mixture into a crust in pan. Spread cottage cheese over crust.

Cook ground beef, onion and green pepper until veggies are tender and meat is browned. Drain excess fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano & garlic salt. Heat. Put meat mixture on top of cottage cheese. Bake uncovered 20 min. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts.